A 29-YEAR-OLD seafarer has been sentenced to three years and two months in prison for manslaughter after his six-year-old nephew was killed in a vehicle crash in Nausori.
Ilaisa Nailaota Dakunivosa pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter over the death of Semi Dridri Dakunivosa on March 14, 2026.
Justice Daniel Goundar sentenced him to three years and two months’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of two years.
The court heard Dakunivosa had consumed grog and beer for several hours before driving towards Nausori.
At about 7am, he picked up the victim, his father, and another cousin. The six-year-old was seated unrestrained in the front passenger seat.
Dakunivosa then accelerated to between 60 and 70km/h on a gravel road approaching a bend, despite being warned by a passenger to slow down.
The vehicle lost control, left the road and overturned twice. The child was thrown from the vehicle and suffered fatal head injuries. He was pronounced dead at Wainibokasi Hospital at 8.40am.
A breathalyser test recorded 59 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, equivalent to 129.8mg per 100ml of blood, more than twice the legal limit.
Justice Goundar noted that while the child’s parents offered genuine, unconditional forgiveness during traditional reconciliation, a custodial sentence remained necessary to serve as a public deterrent against dangerous driving.
